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upnorth85

macrumors 6502a
Oct 2, 2011
629
202
MN, USA
Mr. Hill - I doubt if Apple will provide other frequencies just for T-mobile. If that were the case, why would T-mobile do the 1900 3G refarming. Can they do an LTE without putting up the 3G on 1900 Mhz?

.... until the T-Mobile iPhone comes out in a few months. It will have all the bands necessary to get the best experience on their network.
 

Mr Hill

macrumors 6502a
Apr 28, 2012
500
1
Charlotte, NC
Mr. Hill - I doubt if Apple will provide other frequencies just for T-mobile. If that were the case, why would T-mobile do the 1900 3G refarming. Can they do an LTE without putting up the 3G on 1900 Mhz?

You're right they're doing the 1900mhz refarming for LTE. Compatibility with the iPhone was just a bonus side effect of that. LTE is the primary goal.

Since their current refarming coverage has serious gaps a holes in it, if they launch an iPhone with only 1900mhz compatibility then it would provide a poor customer experience on the network. I don't think they'll have enough areas refarmed by March-April 2013 to have the seamless iPhone experience that customers would expect. We will see though. Hopefully I'm wrong and they speed things up.
 

Satnam1989

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Nov 16, 2011
1,200
0
Illinois
You're right they're doing the 1900mhz refarming for LTE. Compatibility with the iPhone was just a bonus side effect of that. LTE is the primary goal.

Since their current refarming coverage has serious gaps a holes in it, if they launch an iPhone with only 1900mhz compatibility then it would provide a poor customer experience on the network. I don't think they'll have enough areas refarmed by March-April 2013 to have the seamless iPhone experience that customers would expect. We will see though. Hopefully I'm wrong and they speed things up.

Im not sure if I agree with your above thoughts....because they are reaffirming the 1900MHz for HSPA+ not LTE....from what I can see/tell/read/understand etc is that T-Mobile will also launch its LTE network on 700/1700/2100 Spectrum Band 4 and 17, Currently T-Mobile 1700/2100 but it is only for HSDPA/HSPA+
 

adeedew

macrumors regular
Dec 29, 2005
168
1
Question for anyone at least on 3G refarming on an iPhone w/ tmobile sim. Are you able to talk and surf? I can with my factory unlocked 4s mostly stationary only. When driving not. When I initiate the call 3G or even E for edge may be there but as I'm on a call for 5 minutes or so the data is gone. No listing of E or 3G and when trying to access data I get the alert that can't do while on a call like being on Verizon. Maybe because Los Angeles isn't an official lit up market or they simple dont support this feature lik AT&T? I wonder if this is the case in the official refarmed 1900 spectrum markets like Vegas, Atlanta, Seattle etc? Photo attached. Thanks
 

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adeedew

macrumors regular
Dec 29, 2005
168
1
Yes... :D

The near western suburbs of Chicago where I live is now entirely on 3G - total goodness...

The lines at T- Mobile stores around Chicago when they get the iPhone are going to be long... ;)

Ah great! Ok thanks. Hmm I wonder if its my settings then or just the fact that LA isn't official. So you can do this mobile/on a long call etc? This is the only thing holding me back from switching now and dealing w/ a ETF from
Verizon
 

rohitp

macrumors regular
Oct 9, 2003
156
25
Austin, Texas
3G in Austin on T-Mobile

I've been getting 3G data with T-Mobile on my iPhone 4S in many spots around Austin for the past three weeks: MoPac, Congress & Riverside, Hwy 290 (Ben White) near S Lamar and more. I even received a FaceTime call driving on MoPac near 35th. It seems like when data switches from 3G to Edge or vice-versa, it goes dead for just a bit. Hope it keeps expanding; it's not around my house as yet. :)
 

sanches12

macrumors newbie
Oct 13, 2012
8
0
Question for anyone at least on 3G refarming on an iPhone w/ tmobile sim. Are you able to talk and surf? I can with my factory unlocked 4s mostly stationary only. When driving not. When I initiate the call 3G or even E for edge may be there but as I'm on a call for 5 minutes or so the data is gone. No listing of E or 3G and when trying to access data I get the alert that can't do while on a call like being on Verizon. Maybe because Los Angeles isn't an official lit up market or they simple dont support this feature lik AT&T? I wonder if this is the case in the official refarmed 1900 spectrum markets like Vegas, Atlanta, Seattle etc? Photo attached. Thanks

You can talk and surf while your iPhone is on wifi or 3G only. If you are on EDGE you cannot talk and surf at the same time. This is the reason why you can't talk and surf while you're driving because you are constantly moving from a 3G area to an EDGE/non-refarmed area. Notice next time you make or receive a call while on EDGE that the E will disappear while on the call.

Hopefully when T-mobile "officially" announces 1900 MHz in LA I would imagine that all towers will be up to date and you will be able to travel, talk, and internet surf all at the same time. *fingers crossed*
 

adeedew

macrumors regular
Dec 29, 2005
168
1
You can talk and surf while your iPhone is on wifi or 3G only. If you are on EDGE you cannot talk and surf at the same time. This is the reason why you can't talk and surf while you're driving because you are constantly moving from a 3G area to an EDGE/non-refarmed area. Notice next time you make or receive a call while on EDGE that the E will disappear while on the call.

Hopefully when T-mobile "officially" announces 1900 MHz in LA I would imagine that all towers will be up to date and you will be able to travel, talk, and internet surf all at the same time. *fingers crossed*
Thanks!
 

sanches12

macrumors newbie
Oct 13, 2012
8
0
Since their current refarming coverage has serious gaps a holes in it said:
March-April 2013?? Is this when T-mobile will officially be selling the iPhone? I don't think T-mobile will officially start selling the iPhone until the release of the iPhone 5S/end of next year. If that's the case then it SHOULD contain all the bands necessary to work seamlessly on T-mobiles network 1700, 1900 etc. Of course I say this with very high optimisum. :D
 

gkarris

macrumors G3
Dec 31, 2004
8,301
1,061
"No escape from Reality...”
March-April 2013?? Is this when T-mobile will officially be selling the iPhone? I don't think T-mobile will officially start selling the iPhone until the release of the iPhone 5S/end of next year. If that's the case then it SHOULD contain all the bands necessary to work seamlessly on T-mobiles network 1700, 1900 etc. Of course I say this with very high optimisum. :D

Speculation is that the iPhone 5S will be on Apple's new iOS cycle of product updates every 6 months which puts it at March 2013, adding the iPhone line to T-Mobile USA as well...
 

emoore

macrumors regular
Aug 27, 2003
122
0
Speculation is that the iPhone 5S will be on Apple's new iOS cycle of product updates every 6 months which puts it at March 2013, adding the iPhone line to T-Mobile USA as well...

Or Apple can do the same thing they did with Verizon, release a T-mobile phone early next year but it would still be the iPhone 5. Maybe that is what these "tweaked" designs are for, a T-mobile version early next year. Then the iPhone 5S would come out in Sept/Oct. Just a thought.
 

Mr Hill

macrumors 6502a
Apr 28, 2012
500
1
Charlotte, NC
Im not sure if I agree with your above thoughts....because they are reaffirming the 1900MHz for HSPA+ not LTE....from what I can see/tell/read/understand etc is that T-Mobile will also launch its LTE network on 700/1700/2100 Spectrum Band 4 and 17, Currently T-Mobile 1700/2100 but it is only for HSDPA/HSPA+

I meant they are refarming 1900mhz for HSPA+ so that the 1700mhz band is freed up for LTE deployment. T-Mobile said they were getting a "tweaked" Apple device so like someone else said above, I'm guessing Apple does a Verizon type Spring release with a specific "tweaked" iPhone with the current AWS HSPA+ bands. An adequately refarmed network is looking like it's going to take T-Mobile until late 2013 complete and if Apple were going to wait that long to release an iPhone on T-Mobile, I don't see why they would have announced it this far in advance. That would be almost a year early and very un-Apple like. All speculation though. T-Mobile says we will receive more information in the "next few months".
 

Anonymous Freak

macrumors 603
Dec 12, 2002
5,561
1,252
Cascadia
Expanding in Portland.

My wife's iPhone is seeing 3G over more areas of Portland, although still ends three blocks from our house (not too big a deal, but annoying to not be able to use data for those three blocks if on a call.)

Took a screenshot of both our phones at the same time in the same place earlier this evening. Thanks, AT&T... ("4G" my... ) Hers is an iPhone 4, mine is an iPhone 4S, so theoretically capable of even faster HSPA+ speeds.
 

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kvizzel

macrumors 6502a
Jan 15, 2011
559
6
Stopped by to eat Smashburger in Northglenn CO. Look what I see!

52f0cm.jpg


Didn't do much testing, but it was a LOT faster than edge, was able to stream youtube videos too!

First time I've caught 3G!
 

mike mithy

macrumors newbie
Dec 14, 2012
1
0
got the 3g network on tmobile iphone 4 around fullerton

hey guys. good news. i got the first time 3g network on my iPhone 4 tmobile. very happy. i live in fullerton california. but sometimes its back to the Edge or 2g when the signal is low. when i got the 3g network, right away i try the youtube and the result was running smoothly. don't have to wait for the loading. its really better than EDGE. maybe next year that Tmobile gonna sell the iphone 5. well, hopefully tmobile can get done the the Lte or 4G network in this coming 2013. definitely, will find a way to get the iphone 5.

;):D:):eek::eek::eek::apple::apple::apple:
 

Team Timm

macrumors regular
May 17, 2012
190
5
FL
3g

3G in the Orlando/UCF area. It seems to be expanding around this area too, hopefully we can get 3G downtown Orlando soon!! :)
 

krnboy503

macrumors regular
Feb 1, 2008
182
0
My wife's iPhone is seeing 3G over more areas of Portland, although still ends three blocks from our house (not too big a deal, but annoying to not be able to use data for those three blocks if on a call.)

Took a screenshot of both our phones at the same time in the same place earlier this evening. Thanks, AT&T... ("4G" my... ) Hers is an iPhone 4, mine is an iPhone 4S, so theoretically capable of even faster HSPA+ speeds.

what part of portland?
 

Anonymous Freak

macrumors 603
Dec 12, 2002
5,561
1,252
Cascadia
what part of portland?

I've seen 3G in outer Southwest Portland (Multnomah Village area,) up through downtown and into Hollywood district. Sorry, it's my wife's phone, I'm on AT&T, so I only see when T-Mobile has 3G when I'm with her, and I'm *NOT* the one driving. (Can you tell that we recently drove from Multnomah Village to Hollywood?)
 

Mr Hill

macrumors 6502a
Apr 28, 2012
500
1
Charlotte, NC
Went to Atlanta today and for the first time saw some 3G data on my iPhone 4S. Thoroughly impressed with the speeds. Coverage was spotty in some areas. Went back to Edge in a few spots while I was driving on the Downtown Connector
 

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adeedew

macrumors regular
Dec 29, 2005
168
1
It's not ready for prime time on the iphone yet. My city is listed as one of the lit up 3G cities but drops to edge too much while mobile for my liking. Maybe when they official Carry the iphone it will be worth a try as the truly unlimited plan and price is very enticing. Back to AT&T for now
 

upnorth85

macrumors 6502a
Oct 2, 2011
629
202
MN, USA
Wise decision not to come to t-mobile until they have contiguous 3G coverage rather than spotty 3G and widespread Edge coverage. I may permanently bale out from T-mobile if in 2 months there is no improvement. I have 4 phones to move over.

It's not ready for prime time on the iphone yet. My city is listed as one of the lit up 3G cities but drops to edge too much while mobile for my liking. Maybe when they official Carry the iphone it will be worth a try as the truly unlimited plan and price is very enticing. Back to AT&T for now
 

adeedew

macrumors regular
Dec 29, 2005
168
1
Wise decision not to come to t-mobile until they have contiguous 3G coverage rather than spotty 3G and widespread Edge coverage. I may permanently bale out from T-mobile if in 2 months there is no improvement. I have 4 phones to move over.

I hear you. I wanted to make the move pretty bad and rooting for tmobile but if you believe what my local store says jan 8 is the full light up in LA. Hmm. I'm just going to wait until they are selling the iphone meaning visual voicemail and carrier updates will be fully supported. No reason to adopt early if dont need to
 

Frado

macrumors member
Sep 13, 2009
90
4
Did t mobile mention when the refarm would be finished? I'm going to Hawaii in March and am wondering if I will be looking at 3G or still EDGE speeds..
Also, if you recharge your phone online, will it automatically use that money to re activate your plan?
I forgot my login and need to renew my plan by a certain date to keep it. However their password reset only works within the US, so I can reset my password in March. But I need to reload my card before that date if I want to keep my plan..
 
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